The dogs are starved for attention and affection.Dogs are social animals and a dog by itself is very lonely .

Chances are the barking dog really is saying "wanna play,wanna play!"

Since the owners don't give the dogs attention the dogs bark.

Roll up a newspaper and go whack the......OWNERS until they behave better!

Folks, let's not forget that the owner of the dog in question here is an elderly woman in her 80's who recently lost her husband and whose daughter got her the dog for companionship. Personally, I'd say the poor woman has enough problems - this dog may be a major factor in keeping her happy and comforted.

The dog may be annoying to the OP but it also may be a lifeline to the new widow. A little compassion here could go a long way.

The newspaper comment was meant to be a little humor.Sorry if no one here has any.

"The dog may be annoying to the OP but it also may be a lifeline to the new widow."\

...and it might be outside because it drives her nuts inside....she might just hate the barking bugger too....I'd suggest to the daughter that she take the dog, have the dog trained not to bark, or that you will call the authorities. Put the problem back where it lies.....

Also, I'd talk to the lady next door, you might find out she doesn't want the dog either....THEN I'd definitely talk with the daughter.

It also could be that the dog WANTS to go outside, so the lady complies. I've had dogs all my life, and they love being outside, and will bug me until I let them out. I have a yellow lab now, and she absolutely loves being out, when the weather is nice.
I'm in about the same situation as the lady in question, older, widowed; and yes, my dog is my lifeline, in fact; my whole life!

Also, I'd talk to the lady next door, you might find out she doesn't want the dog either....THEN I'd definitely talk with the daughter.

This is getting very intrusive; if she doesn't "want" the dog, that's between her & the daughter, not neighbors.

It would be nice to suggest to the daughter about training for the dog, to help with the barking, other than that, it's really not a neighbor's place to discuss personal feelings the lady may/may not have about the dog. My feeling is that she no doubt absolutely loves it, and it gives her much needed company and security.

I have the opposite problem, when I go to observe, my sweetie howls! I have to close all the blinds and leave the tv on, so she doesn't howl the entire time!

Sorry Carol, if your barking dog is interfering with the peace of the neighborhood, including yours, it IS your business. I'm certain my neighbor would rather me be the first to bring up the suject of their barking dog then the police at their front door....

I didn't say the barking dog was not the neighbor's business; rather talking to her as to whether she "wants" the dog or not, is not anyone else's business but hers and her daughter's.

Obviously, the OP has talked with her, to no avail (according to him); so other than talking with the daughter about training, then involving the authorities is the only alternative to get peace for the neighbors. Another consideration is that she may have a hearing problem, unless the OP is very explicite with her, as to how much the barking is disturbing him, she may not fully realize how much of a problem it really is. Regardless, age is not a factor when involving a disturbance of the peace, when discussion has not ended the problem.

I live in a large lot subdivison, 5-7 acres each. Only problem I have, besides with my wife's 3 shelties, is when I close up my observatory roof at 3-4 am. Although it is not loud, it does set off many of the neighbors dogs, but at least it may scare the skunks off.

We had new people move in across from us a couple years ago with large barking dogs. They have an electric invisible fence but it was still unnerving when they would charge each time I got my mail. I always talked to them, whistled, or something, and after a few months they just started to ignore me completely. Now I try and annoy them for the fun of it

When I was a kid, we had a neighbor who had 3 big mutt dogs that loved to bark at night. My dad "trained" those dogs to keep quiet. After some training, they'd hear our back door handle turn and run away and give us some hours of quiet.

I can identify with that. Years ago, I owned a big Doberman. He had a bad habit of barking long and loud at night. Being nice to him did not work. So, I applied a little discipline. All I had to do after that was to turn on the outside light and he'd stop barking.

Carol is 100% right - why she has the dog, how she feels about it, what the daughter thinks about it - all of that is none of the neighbor's d*** business.

If the neighbor is bothered by the dog's barking, that's quite another matter.

Consider though, that the OP is outside, moving about, in the dark. Frankly, I wouldn't expect the dog NOT to bark under these conditions. To him, the OP might be a prowler. Certainly, the OP can expect resolution but IMO, a little care and understanding will go a long way here. Becoming confrontative won't serve well here - the prevailing sympathies are likely to be with the elderly widow. And I'd expect that the police would cut her a considerable amount of slack in this matter. Despite the support the OP has gotten here, society in general is likely to side with the Woman rather than the OP .

This is certainly a case where you'll catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.

When I was a kid, we had a neighbor who had 3 big mutt dogs that loved to bark at night. My dad "trained" those dogs to keep quiet. After some training, they'd hear our back door handle turn and run away and give us some hours of quiet.

I'm not saying you haven't been nice to her. I can remember many years ago when I had no clue what it was like to be "old" and didn't care.

Getting old, however, changes one's perspective. It's not possible for you to understand the world in which she lives, a world in which her closest friend is the dog that torments you. I live alone with a small dog. I can emphasize with your neighbor.

I hope that, when you reach the stage in life that your neighbor finds herself in, you are blessed with understanding and caring neighbors. Perhaps there's more to this karma thing than we realize.

Sorry I don't have much humor or tolerance for anyone threatening or attacking a pet in it's own yard for doing what comes naturally. Your beef is with the owner and that's where your attacks should stay and not with the dog.

Boiled down; you're right. Put the onus of the problem on the owner (regardless of age). If the owner is infirm or incapable of training the dog; talk to the daughter, who got her the dog, and let her know the situation. They should have a chance to correct it; if they don't, then go to #2; enough of #2, and you will have justification for calling animal control for #3 (don't do anything to the dog, he/she is not to blame).

well just yesterday, while I'm working on some telescopes outside my garage, here comes cassie barking his headoff. Ms. Jackie, the owner/neighbor, comes out so I asked if I could play with cassie. it wasn't the first time, although its been awhile since I played with that cute pita.

I tried playing catch but cassie was only into it for two times. but then I thought, your a hearder, so I started playing tag with cassie. cassie was having so much fun while I'm having a heart attack running all over the yard playing tag.

so after I recovered from a massive myocardial malfunction, and said by to cassie, he still went on to bark his head off while Ms. Jackie made him go back inside.